United Spinal is pleased to recognize Richard Bagby as Advocate of the Year at the 2022 Roll on Capitol Hill. Aside from founding the Virginia chapter of United Spinal in 2015, he is being recognized for his leadership in helping to establish the Sheltering Arms Institute (SAI).
Bagby acquired a C6-7 spinal cord injury in 2008 as a result of a diving accident. He attended rehab at Virginia Commonwealth University Health, Sheltering Arms outpatient program and Shephard Center’s day program where his positive attitude and family’s support were instrumental to his recovery.
“I was an athlete all my life growing up and I just kind of took on that athlete’s mindset of setting attainable goals. I just kind of took it on like any sport I played, saying this is what I’ve got now and I’m going to try to improve on it today,” says Bagby.
“I was fortunate to have the privilege to be able to do that because of my incredible support system with my family and friends eliminated some of the worry and supported me all the way through.”
After rehab, he returned to life as a student at the University of Richmond. He kept in touch with the therapists that he met at VCU and they asked him to connect with patients that were currently attending their rehab program.
“I started mentoring informally as they would call me to chat with one of their current patients about the questions they had and things they were dealing with. That’s how the beginning of United Spinal of Virginia came about, because as I continued doing that we just saw the need continue to grow for peer mentors for newly injured individuals,” says Bagby.
Before his injury, his goal was to join the Marine Corps in order to make the world a better place. Although starting a non-profit was never on Bagby’s initial agenda, it allowed him to serve his community in a different way.
“I’ve been fortunate in life that I felt it is my duty to try to give back as much as possible. I see that every day where folks don’t have the support system I do. Our programming and advocacy efforts are built off of realized issues.”
Throughout the years the chapter grew and expanded programs based on the needs of the community it served. Bagby developed critical relationships with VCU and was instrumental in helping to create what is now the Sheltering Arms Institute, by providing lived experience that greatly impacted the quality of patient care.
“Whenever we’re talking about these big venture ideas, a lot of times you have able bodied folks leading the way. I think it’s pretty rare that they take the step back and say we know how to get the business side of things done, but we don’t know the lived experience of the different intricacies that one goes through having dealt with a devastating injury.”
“They knew what they didn’t know and wanted to bring folks in who could fill those gaps and lived with these diagnoses every day and knew what were game-changers that could help patients through recovery.”
The Bridge Garden was one idea that was influenced by Bagby’s input and first-hand knowledge on disability. It was an outdoor space that allowed patients the opportunity to get out of the hospital and meet with their families, but also had therapeutic elements incorporated within.
“One section on the sidewalk is sand, another is gravel, there are sections with bumps and different transitions so that folks who are using wheelchairs for the first time get the experience of going over different surfaces and navigate the less than ideal pathway you’ve got face out in the community.”
From the very beginning, Bagby collaborated with project leaders to design the construction and utilization of a state-of-the-sciences inpatient rehabilitation facility. As one of only 14 federally recognized Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Hospitals in the United States, Sheltering Arms Institute’s spinal cord injury rehab program has been nationally recognized for its quality of care.
In addition to his contribution to the success of Sheltering Arms Institute, Bagby has taken a lead in advocating for legislation changes at the state level. He organized a large coalition of support in Virginia for House Bill 241, legislation to allow for the provision of complex rehab technology (CRT) manual and power wheelchair bases and accessories for Virginians residing in nursing facilities.
He credits the Roll on Capitol Hill for helping him become aware of the importance of advocacy.
“I was content just providing peer mentoring and helping folks on a micro-level one-on-one with new injuries. But attending the Roll on Capitol Hill in 2016 really opened my eyes up to the accessibility of legislators and and the prospect of getting in somebody’s office and and chatting about how things can be improved.”
United Spinal is grateful for the dedication Richard Bagby has had in creating change for the spinal cord injury community and look forward to joining him along side of hundreds of other wheelchair users at the 10th annual Roll on Capitol Hill.
Shannon Kelly
Social Media Manager, United Spinal Association